The Iliad of Homer
Homometrically Translated
C. B. Cayley
London 1877

[Sample from the Opening of the Poem]

THE
ILIAD OF HOMER

BOOK I

THE STRIFE OF THE LEADERS.

MUSE, of Pelidéan Achilles sing the resentment

Ruinous, who brought down many thousand griefs on Achaians,

And ultimately banish’d many souls to the mansion of Hades

Of warriors puissant, them making a booty for hounds and

5    All manner of prey-birds, wherein Jove’s will was accomplish’d

From that time forward, when first was in enmity parted

Atrides, king of hosts, from Jove-exampling Achilles.

To strife and bickerings will ye hear what diety mov’d them?

’Twas Jove’s and Leto’s offspring, wi’ the king when offended,

10  Sent a fell infection, whence heaps fell on heaps in the army.

This wrought he for a priest, whom lord Agamemnon affronted,

For Chryses, who had hied to swift war-ships of Achaians

His daughter to redeem, and bearing a ransom enormous;

Holding aloft wool-wreaths in his hand of th’ archer Apollo,

15  On gold sceptre attach’d, he pray’d to the banded Achaians

And the two Atridæ foremost, folk-marshalling heroes:

“Hear me, O Atridæ, O Achaians well to the greaves arm’d;

May the divine denizens of Olympus not disappoint you

Of Priam’s city sack’d, or of homeward safely returning;

20  But my dear daughter restore me, and here have a ransom;

Show reverence to the child of Jove, far-shooting Apollo.”

Then the common murmuers proclaim’d the desire of Achaians,

Showing honor to the priest, to receive so splendid a ransom.
No so at all minded prov’d Atreus-born Agamemnon,

25  Who with grim menaces dismiss’d, and sternly rebuk’d him:

“Thou’dst better, old father, no more be taken amongst us
Lingering, or back anew wending to the barks hollow-builded,

Lest not a whit wool-wreaths o’ the god, nor sceptre avail thee.

And I’ll not give her up, be assur’d, ere Age cometh o’er her,

30  Far from her own birthplace, within our habitation at Argos,

In labours o’ the loom employ’d, and my bed attending;

But go forth, irritate me not, lest hurt should arrest thee.”

He spoke, and th’ old man, terrefied, ’gan obey the commandment.

Down went he in silence to the beach, where loudly the sea frets;

35  Lonely then he wander’d, and call’d many times on Apollo,

Great paramount, brought forth by Leto comelily braided.

“Argent bow’s bender, that Chryse mightily guardest,

Great lord through Tenedos, through Killa’s bounds hallow’d-holy,

Hear me, if I’ve garnish’d thy beautiful halidom, hear me,

40  If once by me upon thine altar smoke hath ascended

From fat of herds or goats—this alone vounchsafe that I ask thee;

Let Danaans my tearshed atone, thine archery tasting.”

These he utter’d praying, not unheard by Phœbus Apollo,

Who started from Olympus’s heights, with his heart full of anger,

45  With quiver all garnish’d, and bow slung athwart his shoulders.

Loud his arrows knister’d in rear of the Power offended,

Answering his footfall, and like very night was his advent.

Soon sat he over against their ships, and dreadfully signall’d,

With that bow’s argent resonance, his first arrow’s onset.

50  Their mules and dapper hounds for a while at first he assaulted,

Then with deadly weapons he against themselves began aiming,

Till fires from death-piles were uninterruptedly burning.

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